When my gramma used the milk and vinegar trick, she would let it sit on the counter and curdle before she used it in the cake. If she used real buttermilk, she told me it had to be at room temperature before you used it.

@seesul is right in a pinch you can use the vinegar and milk method. Just put 1 Tablespoon of vinegar into a 1 cup measure, and fill measure with milk. Let set 5 minutes.(That’s why I always do it first before I start any other prep.)

breedmitch…the first link had cocoa in it, but only one tablespoon, it used a mix rather than from scratch, at first I was just trying to find a recipe that used the vinegar/milk mix in it. You are correct, the 2nd one is closer to my Gramma’s. I don’t think I ever saw her use a mix. She always used White Lily, which is much softer. She didn’t use cake flour, she just sifted the WL more. I mail order because her biscuits don’t taste the same without it.

It just seemed like an extravagance. I mean, I had only ever used a few drops in cake frosrings and such. A whole bottle seemed over the top. As far as dye fears go, I never learned about the hoopla until the red M&M’s were re-introduced. The ignorance was bliss.

Nevertheless, any good southern cook will tell you that a red velvet cake is a chocolate based cake.

LOL! @seesul, that would be my son your talking about. Whew! One drop of red #40 and he’s off till he reaches meltdown. I bet 90% of the kids that they say are ADHD would have the symptoms go away by just cutting that out of their diet. LOL!

I found this recipe in a cookbook I got “Cooking with Flavor” by McCormick. It’s also on their website. Red Velvet Cake Not sure if you have McCormick where you are at, but I am sure any brand would work. Enjoy!

2. Beat butter and granulated sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat. Pour batter into prepared pans.

4. For the Frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, sour cream and vanilla in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Fill and frost cooled cake with frosting.